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What does dyna­mics mean to you?

When there is noti­ce­able progress and the feeling of “getting things done”, with an intrin­si­cally moti­vated urge for change. This most likely happens in a team where people trust each other, espe­ci­ally when they are able to deliver substan­tial changes in a short period of time. The goal is to raise the calibre not only of our orga­ni­sa­tion, but most import­antly of every single employee, to a new, higher level.

Where do you get your rest; what is your source of energy (sports, hobby, dedi­ca­tion, special place)?

Flying in my small sports aircraft 1000m in the air above Germany — seeing the world from above and swit­ching of is just as rela­xing for me as sitting at a beau­tiful grand piano and playing. And in all of these activi­ties, I only need a short time to achieve full rela­xa­tion.

What is the best way to help you moti­vate employees?

Direct contact with our people, as well as open commu­ni­ca­tion. It is best to perso­nally expe­ri­ence what is necessary to over­come certain hurdles or listen to reser­va­tions about new things first-hand. And of course, it is always about values and expe­ri­en­cing them authen­ti­cally – you cannot expect others to do things you would not do yourself. My motto is: be truly hands-on and lead by example. This is how we set the tone of our busi­ness.

What has been the biggest change in your company in recent years?

The successful intro­duc­tion of a comple­tely new brand appearance. In our 125th year, we set the course for the company’s future, follo­wing the motto “Tradi­tion with Future”. Through our pionee­ring spirit and expe­ri­ence, we have gene­rated a history full of tradi­tion which is success­fully guiding us into the digital age. Our focus on people – as opposed to products – is unique in the kitchen indu­stry. Now we have to success­fully estab­lish this idea in our local kitchen studios, in over 70 coun­tries in the world.

What coope­ra­tion has moved you forward in recent years?

With a globally opera­ting brand in the luxury segment, it is necessary to precisely evaluate invol­ve­ment in coope­ra­tive eforts with a focus on added-value. Our work with Porsche Design still has world­wide vali­dity – it produced unique kitchen concepts. We are also consi­de­ring part­nerships to bring toge­ther leading brands from dife­rent, yet related indu­stries. For example, our part­nership with Steinway & Sons, the manu­fac­turer of the world’s finest pianos. Their product, Spirio, brings the concert hall to your home. It has inspired me; we both see many simi­la­ri­ties in how our custo­mers seek the highest quality and want to expe­ri­ence and enjoy life at home with all their senses.

Which development/dynamic will change your indu­stry signi­fi­cantly over the next 10 years?

Food, nutri­tion and life at home are topics that will gain signi­fi­cance in the coming years. Take trends like urba­ni­sa­tion which is being driven by a scar­city of housing space, or how “new work” is chan­ging working condi­tions. For us it is vital to under­stand these dyna­mics inti­mately and be agile enough to deter­mine the optimal designs of the kitchen in the future. Some areas of digi­ta­li­sa­tion and auto­ma­tion could improve kitchen func­tio­n­a­lity. For over 125 years, Poggenpohl’s mission, as a pioneer in the kitchen indu­stry, has been to build kitchens for people. This is our history and we are excited to continue this tradi­tion.

Thomas Kredatus

Mana­ging Director of Poggen­pohl Möbel­werke GmbH. “Be truly hands-on and lead by example. This is how we set the tone of our busi­ness.”